Dumbbell bench press lying on an inclined (at an angle) and horizontal bench: technique, types and programs

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Beautiful pumped up breasts are an important element in the figure of any athlete, be it a man or a woman. There are many effective ways to work this target muscle group. The dumbbell bench press is just one of these accessible methods. In the article we will tell you in detail how to do the dumbbell bench press correctly, consider different variations of the exercise (lying dumbbell press on a horizontal and inclined bench at an angle of 30-45 C), and suggest indicative programs and complexes for CrossFit using this exercise.

Benefits of exercise

The dumbbell overhead press is one of the basic exercises in CrossFit. Let's take a closer look at what muscles work when bench pressing dumbbells and what are the benefits of it. The biggest advantage of the exercise is that thanks to it you can effectively load the pectoralis major muscles. The triceps and anterior deltoids also actively participate in the work. The biceps, as well as the latissimus dorsi, play the role of stabilizers during the exercise.

During movement, the athlete performs an upward pushing movement of sports equipment. The benefit of the dumbbell bench press for an athlete is that this exercise allows him to work out the chest area of the body well, as well as increase strength in other exercises. This exercise is perfect for beginners and will be a good basis for pumping up the chest. Working under the supervision of a trainer, a novice athlete can quickly take the first steps towards good shape. This exercise is a very effective way to start your training day.

Professionals need to perform dumbbell bench presses to increase strength in a standard barbell exercise. Also, experienced athletes need to regularly change their exercise program. This exercise will help diversify the process of pumping the pectoral muscles. You can work out at the gym using the superset method. Combine the pressing exercise with dumbbell flyes, as well as push-ups with wide arms. Perform several sets of different exercises without resting.

The dumbbell bench press on a horizontal bench is also suitable for women. Girls should work with a weight that is comfortable for them. Before lifting weights, you can build basic strength with regular push-ups.

Technique for performing dumbbell bench press

Most novice athletes who come to the gym for the first time make a huge number of mistakes. If you are a complete beginner in the world of weightlifting, be sure to use the services of an experienced mentor, because the technique of performing a dumbbell bench press is not as simple as it seems from the outside. The trainer will help you create a training program and also advise you on nutrition. Already at the first training session, you can learn about the technical difficulties of the dumbbell bench press and the rules for performing the exercise.

Beginners are recommended to go to the gym with a friend for the first time. The dumbbell overhead press requires a special technique from the athlete. But if you do not have the opportunity to exercise with a partner, then remember a special algorithm for performing movements.

Before starting the exercise, you must select dumbbells of the appropriate weight. Work with a light load at first. At first, the athlete needs to work on improving technique. After you can perform all the elements correctly, take heavier sports equipment.

The technique for performing a dumbbell bench press is as follows:

Lift the dumbbells off the floor onto your thighs. With a jerking movement, you should lie down on the bench and take your starting position.
Make yourself comfortable. Bend your back slightly at the lower back. The head and shoulders should be pressed tightly to the surface. Direct your gaze upward. It is also important that your feet are firmly planted on the floor with full feet. Space them a little further apart than the width of your shoulders.
Hold the projectile tightly in your hands. Elbows should be straight or slightly bent.
© Mircea.Netea — stock.adobe.com
Begin to lower the dumbbells synchronously as you inhale, and as you exhale, press them up.
© Mircea.Netea — stock.adobe.com
As you move, firmly fix the position of your wrists.
The dumbbell bench press on a horizontal bench should be performed at the same amplitude as normal work with a barbell.
After you have finished performing the exercise, carefully place the dumbbells on the floor. If you work out in the gym with a friend, he can take the sports equipment from your hands.

Choosing dumbbells

So, you settled on collapsible dumbbells. To smoothly increase the load, you will need a set of replaceable plates. The most popular weight range is from 0.5 kg to 5 kg. Heavier pancakes are rarely used.

For each projectile, select at least four pancakes of the same mass. Then in your arsenal there will be, for example, four disks of 0.5 kg, four disks of 1 kg, and so on. Thus, during class you can adjust the weight of the dumbbell with an accuracy of half a kilogram.

Please make sure that the pancakes are easy to use. It’s good if they have a rubber edging - there’s less risk that the disc will accidentally slip out of your fingers. In addition, rubberized pancakes are absolutely safe for flooring.

The next point is the way of holding the weight. It is better if the pancake is screwed into the handle of the projectile, which reduces the likelihood of a jump to zero. In addition, apparatus with screw-in plates are more convenient to use than dumbbells with discs fixed with pegs.

Now let's look at dumbbell bars. According to their shape, they are divided into straight and curved. The former are suitable for most weight training exercises, while the latter are suitable for French presses.

Correctly focus on the length of the handle. A handle that is too short does not allow precise adjustment of the weight—it is simply impossible to attach as many disks to such a dumbbell as needed for the required load. A machine with a bar that is too long has another drawback: it is inconvenient to perform some exercises with it. Conclusion - look for a middle ground.

Types of exercise

To better work different parts of the pectoral muscles, experienced bodybuilders use different variations of the same exercise. You can perform the dumbbell bench press in different positions and in different ways:

Incline Dumbbell Press

This exercise is ideal for pumping the upper chest. Before approaching, you should choose a bench whose incline can be adjusted. The most common variation of the set is the dumbbell bench press at an angle of 30 degrees (45 degrees).

This type of exercise is better suited for athletes who already have some experience in the exercise. The athlete's deltoids and triceps also receive additional load. The incline dumbbell press should be performed using the same technical principles as a regular exercise.

The dumbbell bench press on an incline bench is also recommended for those athletes whose upper chest requires training. If you feel pain in your shoulders while performing the exercise, you need to slightly rotate the dumbbells. This will reduce the stress on your shoulders.

Negative incline dumbbell bench press

The negative incline dumbbell bench press is ideal for athletes who want to pump up the lower chest, as well as make the target muscle group more prominent. During the exercise, the athlete also uses the triceps and deltoids. In order to perform a set, you need to choose the right bench. The negative tilt angle should be 30-45 degrees.

There are several nuances to the dumbbell bench press with a negative incline:

Suitable only for athletes who have been visiting the gym for a long time.
Athletes often experience dizziness. Do not stay upside down for long periods of time. Monitor your own condition.
It is very important to breathe correctly, do it smoothly and evenly.
The exercise can be performed on a special bench for the press.
An alternative to dumbbells can be a barbell or chains.
After finishing the set, rise carefully. You may need some insurance.

Alternate Dumbbell Bench Press

The exercise can be performed while on a bench with any incline. In this way, you can better work each hand in turn. Attention will be focused on the work of the left and right thoracic regions. The essence of the exercise is to raise your arms up not simultaneously, but one at a time.

Contraindications to exercises with weights

Weight training is necessary for women, as it is a small physical activity, but it must be approached with special care and vigilance for the body.

Doctors have discovered a number of contraindications to exercise:

Hypertension (pressure above 170/90 mmHg). So there may be a risk of heart attack and stroke.
Diseases, pathologies of the heart and blood vessels (failure, angina, arrhythmia). During exercise, most of the blood flows to active muscles, which increases the load on the heart.
Bronchial asthma. Excessive physical activity is the instigator of the attack.
Presence of hernias, spinal diseases.
Postoperative period. The risk of surgical suture opening may increase.

Exercise should be done with caution during menstruation and pregnancy.

And also people who have no experience in such physical activity.

Common mistakes athletes make

The dumbbell bench press is the main exercise for both beginner athletes and professionals. Many athletes who have been going to the gym for a long time continue to make many mistakes while performing heavy sets. Incorrect technique for working with dumbbells can not only negatively affect muscle growth, but also cause injury.

To make your training process as effective and safe as possible and to avoid mistakes, use the following rules:

Before starting your training day, stretch your muscles and joints a little;
during the set, the legs and body should be in a static position, so fix them as much as possible;
before performing basic movements, make a slight arch in your back; do not throw the dumbbells to the floor immediately at the end of the last repetition as you may injure your shoulder joint;
in the first classes, work with light weights and only after working out the correct technique, move on to more serious loads;
do not hit the dumbbells against each other at the top of the movement;
perform the work with the apparatus smoothly, feel the muscle;
squeeze the weight at the same time, watch the synchronization of movements;
the range of motion should be full - this way you can work out the pectoral muscles most efficiently;
Don't lift your hips off the bench. A strong deflection into the “bridge” can lead to injuries to the lumbar spine.

These rules will help any bodybuilder achieve results in a shorter period of time, as well as protect themselves from injuries.

As you know, the dumbbell bench press can be performed in different ways. To maximize the effectiveness of the exercise, perform the exercise on a bench that is not too wide, but not too narrow (your torso should be in a stable position). You should have a good chest stretch at the bottom of the movement.

If you are working out in pairs with a friend, ask him to place the dumbbells directly on your chest. Insure each other when lifting heavy weights. By going to the gym with someone you know, you can increase your results. Your friend will motivate you, and you will try to show better results.

There are shells that can be disassembled. If you train with dumbbells like these, you need to test their strength. Protect yourself from injury Don't be afraid to experiment. Change the angles of the bench, the amplitude of movement of sports equipment. You should get a good feel for the target muscle group. Squeeze the dumbbells using the efforts of the chest area, and not the biceps and the whole body.

Training programs

Athletes perform dumbbell bench presses during chest training. To work out the chest area well, a split dumbbell bench press program is suitable. This means that in one visit to the gym the athlete must work two muscle groups.

How to develop endurance

Endurance for sporting purposes develops during the off-season. For “vital” ones, it’s enough to simply choose 1-2 months when you are not gaining weight and can afford to work in a high-repetition mode. You usually need to work out 2-3 times a week, but you can increase it to 5 workouts.

A regular seated press is performed with a weight that is 60% of the working weight or slightly higher. Let's say you do 12 repetitions with a weight of 25 kg, for endurance work with 12-15 kg. You should do about 25 reps per set, and work with 30-60 seconds of rest between sets. Number of approaches – at least 4.

During such training, the muscles feel a burning sensation, you must endure it. Endurance is not built by daily training when it comes to strength endurance. Still, this is not cycling; the shoulder can become inflamed from atypical load. You need to start with 3 workouts per week, and gradually increase to 5. Again, frequency indicators in training are individual and determined by the speed of recovery. According to the textbook, there should be 24 to 36 hours between endurance training sessions.

Can I do the exercise at home?

You can and should play sports in any conditions. To perform an upward bench press, you will need a pair of dumbbells, as well as a special bench. You can replace it with a regular rug. But there is a problem that the athlete’s range of motion will be incomplete.

It would be best to buy large dumbbells in the store that can be disassembled. Thus, the athlete will have the opportunity to vary the load on the target muscle group.

If you do not yet have the opportunity to purchase sports equipment, at first you can replace them with heavy improvised means. But soon you will still need to buy a gym membership. In order to effectively build muscle mass, the load must constantly progress. If you just want to keep in shape and also slightly improve your chest definition, then doing a dumbbell bench press at home will be enough for you.

How to choose dumbbell weights for women

It all depends on your goals.

If you want to lose weight, choose a light weight.

The most optimal weight for a girl is 2 kg. And the number of repetitions should be large. What are the best dumbbells for women? Options coated with vinyl or neoprene are ideal. They look Instagrammable and are very pleasant to the touch. In addition, these dumbbells are a great addition to cardio. In fitness clubs, high-intensity group classes are practically impossible without them.

Increase muscle mass - up to 12 kilograms.

And in order not to spend a lot, it is better to get collapsible dumbbells. The set includes a bar (base) + a set of plates and iron weights. As your muscular endurance increases, you can add weight. Therefore, choosing a collapsible unit is as easy as shelling pears.

If you are a beginner, then follow the TK for losing weight and use small scales.

Differences between dumbbell and barbell presses

The dumbbell bench press is a basic exercise in bodybuilding and powerlifting. This is what is included in powerlifting. To increase performance in barbell exercises (such as barbell clusters), the lifter performs dumbbell overhead presses. There are several differences in working with these sports equipment. You can also highlight a number of advantages of training with dumbbells:

Safety. Exercising with a barbell in an empty gym is not safe. A heavy projectile can simply crush the athlete. If you exercise without a partner or trainer, and are not confident in your abilities, then use dumbbells. They can be easily lowered without causing injury.
Range of motion. While working with a barbell, the athlete is limited to a clear trajectory of movement. The bar connects the two hands. Thus, the athlete cannot increase the amplitude of the set. When working with a barbell, the pectoral muscles will not receive the proper load. By performing exercises with dumbbells, you will increase the mobility of your joints. These movements are considered more natural for a bodybuilder's body.
Opportunity to improve coordination of movements. Since the athlete will need to perform exercises with two sports equipment at once, he will be able to quickly and effectively improve the neuromuscular connection in the human body. The athlete will improve coordination of movements. This skill will also help in everyday life.
Independence. Possibility to work two hands in turn. This feature of the dumbbell upward press is very important for athletes after an injury. Additional load on the target area will help eliminate imbalances in the development of different thoracic regions. During the barbell press, only the strong arm will do the main work. Using dumbbells, the bodybuilder plunges the right and left sides of the body equally. Thus, you can quickly eliminate the imbalance in strength indicators, as well as in the proportions of the athlete’s figure.
Versatility. Using dumbbells, a bodybuilder can pump up all muscle groups in the body. Working with this sports equipment is safe and also very comfortable. The athlete has access to a huge number of both basic and isolation movements.
Ability to use the projectile in different conditions. Dumbbells are small-sized sports equipment that take up little space. They are very easy to store at home. You can also take this projectile with you during long car trips. This way you can always effectively maintain your physical fitness.

In addition to the positive aspects, there are a number of disadvantages to performing the bench press with dumbbells. The most basic disadvantage can be considered the small weight of the shells. To exercise effectively, you must have a huge number of dumbbells. But the problem can be solved by purchasing a gym membership. Even in the simplest rocking chair you can find sports equipment that is suitable for your activities.

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Benefits of exercising with dumbbells

So, why dumbbells?

Firstly, because it is a very effective and convenient equipment, exercises with which contribute to the development of muscle mass and maintaining your health.
Secondly, you can train with dumbbells at home, at a time convenient for you.
Thirdly, the exercises for training with dumbbells are quite simple and you yourself assess the degree of load for yourself.
And, fourthly, the cost of the projectile allows it to be purchased even by those who are in difficult financial circumstances today.

To this list of advantages, you can add the fact that the dumbbells themselves will not take up much space in your apartment, and if you go on a business trip, you can take them with you so as not to interrupt your workout.

Chest+triceps
The most common method of pumping the target muscle group. During chest exercises, the triceps are also actively involved in the work. Start your session by targeting a large muscle group. If you first performed exercises aimed at pumping up your arms, then the dumbbell bench press will not be very effective for you.
Exercise	Sets x reps
Incline Barbell Press	4х12,10,8,6
Dumbbell Bench Press	3х12,10,8
Dips	3x12
Crossover	3x15
French bench press	4х15,12,10,8
Extensions on the upper block with a rope	3x12
Chest+biceps
During the training process, an athlete can combine the load on a large pushing muscle group with a small and pulling one.
Exercise	Sets x reps
Bench press	4х12,10,8,6
Incline Dumbbell Press	3х12,10,8
Hammer press for upper chest	3x12
Lying dumbbell fly	3x12
Standing biceps curl	4х15,12,10,8
Alternating dumbbell lifts while sitting on an incline bench	3x10
Chest+back
Antagonist muscles are involved in the exercises. This means that the chest is responsible for a variety of pressing movements, and the back is responsible for pulling movements. In one lesson you can work out two large parts of the body at once.
Exercise	Sets x reps
Smith Incline Bench Press	4x10
Pull-ups	4x12
Dumbbell Bench Press	3х12,10,8
Barbell row to the waist	3х12,10,8
Dips	3x12
Wide grip lat pulldown to chest	3x10
Incline Dumbbell Flyes	3x12
Horizontal pull of the block to the belt	3x10